


Not As It Seems Part IV

by eliniel



Series: Emet-Selch/WoL [5]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Insecurity, Jealousy, Love, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-06-30 13:06:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19853797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eliniel/pseuds/eliniel
Summary: When Emet-Selch comes to the Warrior of Light that night, he is in poor spirits after catching the Crystal Exarch giving her his special attentions.





	Not As It Seems Part IV

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks for my friend Crystal for helping me out with this when I just couldn't get it to work right, and to Aoirohi for the idea :)

I stood in the Ocular, the Exarch at my front, Emet-Selch at my back, and my friends surrounding me.

We had finished speaking and were loitering about, chatting with each other. The Ascian stood on his own, doing what he claimed to do best: observing. 

Once Urianger and Y’shtola took their leave, Thancred, the twins, and Minfillia not far behind them, I took a few steps forward and placed my hand on the Exarch’s shoulder. We exchanged a few light-hearted words and laughed at a joke before I decided to retreat to find something to eat. 

As I passed him, Emet-Selch watched me closely, an unreadable expression in his glowing, fiery eyes. I lifted an eyebrow, head following him as I passed. We made eye contact for a moment, before I broke it and left for the Pendants. I wondered after it for a few long minutes, but eventually put it out of my mind. 

Later in the night, I stood in the empty space in the middle of my room, stretching out my muscles after a few training drills and a much-needed bath. My wet hair hung down my back in a plait, swaying as I moved. 

A sound behind me made me pause. I dropped out of my stretch and turned around to find Emet-Selch appear through a portal of darkness. I could immediately tell he was brooding- hunched, as was his usual posture, but also frowning with his jaw clenched. 

“Took you long enough,” I taunted him with a smile, putting my hands on my hips. “I was just about to go to sleep without you.”

“I’m in no mood for your banter tonight,” he shot back. He tore his overcoat off and threw it towards one of the chairs sitting at my table. I watched as it missed its mark and fell to the floor, my face falling in disappointment.

“Is...something wrong?” I asked, letting my hands drop to my sides again. 

“Let us just forget the events of the day and go to sleep,” he said, brushing me off. He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “It has been a taxing day.”

He started heading towards the bed as I thought about what had happened- walking through the day in my mind, trying to pinpoint what he was speaking of. 

Wait-

I quickly intercepted him because he was able to climb on to the mattress, putting myself between him and the bed. 

“Tell me,” I ordered, even though I felt I already knew.

He looked taken aback for a moment at my concern, but recovered quickly and heaved a sigh.

“I can’t stop that insufferable Exarch from looking at you, but I do not have to enjoy it.” 

I couldn’t believe my ears. Emet-Selch, eons-old Ascian, father of the Garlean empire, was _jealous_. 

“He-he what?”

“He pines after you. He makes it so obvious.” He drew out the last two words while rolling his eyes and turned away from me. “And I wouldn’t fault you if you felt the same.” His voice was barely audible, but I still caught it. 

Hurt and sadness struck me. Tears stung my eyes, my heart threatening to burst. 

“After all these nights I’ve invited you into my bed, do you really think _he’s_ the one I’m _pining_ after?”

Slowly, he turned back around to face me. He reached out a hand to gently stroke my cheek. I leaned into his hand, relishing it.

When he saw the look on my face- how easily a simple touch from his affected it, it looked as if something snapped inside of him. He put his hand around my back and I let him lower me down onto the mattress. He leaned over me, his dark shadow falling over my body. 

“You’re... _mine_ ,” he said, voice suddenly low and raw, almost uncertain. It was as if he didn’t believe his own words. Nevertheless, he ground his hips into me, one of his legs placing itself between mine, hands balled into the blanket, on either side of my head.

I looked up at him with eyes wide, mouth barely parted. A feeling I was not accustomed to flooded over me with overwhelming strength. His eyes bore into mine, intense, focused and...scared? I hadn’t ever seen this side of him- his confident facade broken down by eons of loneliness, leading to something resembling insecurity. 

And this look was reserved only for me. 

My heart pounded, the beat making my whole body pulse. I was sure he’d be able to hear it, too. 

I reached up, cupping his face with my hands. I tugged, gently, and he obliged, lowering his face closer to mine. His breath was hot and fast on my face. 

“Yes,” I breathed my assent, and lifted my head to meet his. I could feel the tension draining out of him. He let me kiss him, slowly, but soon, it wasn’t enough. He was hungry- no, desperate- for more- my touch, my passion, maybe even my love.

And surprisingly enough- or maybe not even at all- I found myself of the same mind. 

Something in our souls was connected, I was sure of it. Tethered together by fate, however tragic it was. 

I knew he would never say it, but it didn’t matter. We both knew.

He separated from me for naught but a moment. 

“Good,” he rasped, roughly, bearing his mouth back down on to my mine, harder this time. I sucked in a breath as he did, not expecting so much fervor. He took my hands from his face and laced his fingers between mine, then stretched them above my head. 

A small moan escaped my mouth, still connected to his, as he pressed his body ever closer to mine. 

“ _My_ warrior,” he mumbled against my lips. “ _My_ hero.”

At the sound of his rumbling voice and the vibration of words in his chest, I tightened my hold on his hands, nails digging into his skin.

“All _mine_.” 

The ache in my body was almost too much to handle. 

He moved away, leaving my mouth cold, wanting more. I noticed his golden eyes were lined with red. He buried his face into the crook of my neck and his grip on my hands lessened.

He slid his arms beneath my body, and raised me to him, holding me against his chest tightly, but gently- as if I were made of glass. 

I wound my under his shoulders, embracing him as hard as I could. 

No matter our pasts, no matter our futures, I knew for certain that in that moment, we belonged together. 

I laid a small, chaste kiss on his cheek before lifting my head to his ear.

“All _yours_.”


End file.
